Henson critters return

March 28, 1991|By David Zurawik

Henson creatures will be back on television starting next month.

ABC announced yesterday that it is adding a new sitcom, "Dinosaurs," to its schedule, starting April 23. One of the executive producers of the series, which is about a family of dinosaurs living in the year 60 million B.C., is Brian Henson, son of Muppet-creator Jim Henson, who died last year.

The stars of "Dinosaurs" will be dinosaur "creatures" created in the Henson Productions Creature Shop in London, which has also made the Muppets and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As with the Turtles, humans will be inside the dinosaur bodies.

ABC also announced that "S.T.A.T," a sitcom set in a New York hospital, will be added to the schedule April 16. "S.T.A.T." is produced by Danny Arnold, who made "Barney Miller."

To make room for the new shows, the network is putting "Davis Rules," with Randy Quaid and Jonathan Winters, and "Coach," with Craig T. Nelson, on hiatus. "Coach" has been renewed for next season and will be back. No decision has been made yet on "Davis Rules," according to an ABC spokesman.